Russia is calling on the European Union to lift sanctions imposed on all Russian citizens and businessmen, as the bloc remains divided over whether to remove two prominent Russian billionaires from its blacklist.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Moscow considers the EU’s asset freezes and travel restrictions against Russian nationals illegal and is demanding their removal across the board.
The statement comes as European governments remain locked in negotiations over the sanctions status of Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman.
The EU had been considering a compromise that would remove Usmanov and Fridman from its sanctions list while extending restrictions on thousands of other Russia-linked individuals and entities for another three years.
However, Latvia has rejected the proposed arrangement, leaving the renewal of the wider sanctions regime uncertain.
The measures, which include asset freezes and travel bans, require the unanimous approval of all 27 EU member states and face a looming expiration deadline.
The dispute has intensified divisions within the bloc, with France and Slovakia supporting the removal of sanctions against Usmanov, while Luxembourg has backed the delisting of Fridman. EU officials are continuing efforts to reach an agreement before the deadline.
